Monthly Archives: August 2018

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A Snakebite Saved My Dog’s Life

Years ago, I had a Lassie Collie named Casey.  She got bitten on the jaw by a copperhead.  I rushed her to the vet.  The vet treated her life and death situation,…….but it wasn’t the snakebite that was killing her!!!

Casey was my companion.  Wherever I went she went with me.  She loved me.  She loved people.  She loved riding in the truck.  Shucks, this dog loved everything……… except snakes.  She hated snakes!  With a passion like I’ve never seen.

You’ve seen your dog, or maybe a video of someone’s dog shaking the life out of a snake, literally.  Casey was a pro at it.  She would grab the snake by its tail and shake her head back and forth whipping the snakes body like a piece of spaghetti.  I’ve seen her do this numerous times.  I don’t know if it breaks the snakes neck or what but after a few whiplash sessions with my dog, its over.

I was driving my truck on our farm, stopping at one of the gates to open it.  When I opened my door and got out, there at my feet was a pretty good sized copperhead. (My mother always called them Rattlesnake Pilots, she should know as she got bitten by one as a young girl).  I did what I normally and instinctively do when I’m too close to a snake.  Yep, I danced that awkward dance of trying to lift both feet in the air at the same time, while giving out this scream sounding exactly like a twelve year old little girl.  Well, Casey must have known what it meant as she was out of the truck like a bolt of lightening.

The snake was actually coiled with his tail vibrating as a rattlesnake’s would.  Scary sight to me.  Casey, without hesitation, grabbed that snake and gave it a violent shake back and forth.  Whoa, she slung the snake several feet in the air and jumped on it again.  I got to thinking, maybe I should back up several feet, or yards, or maybe a football field away in case she slings that thing towards me!  Wouldn’t want to do the dance or sing/squeal like a girl again.

Then it was over.  Just like that!  Casey had racked up another trophy in her long list of snakes killed.  She was now riding in the back of the truck.  I honestly thought I saw her smiling.  Look, that dog is smiling.  Her jaw had an unusual bump on it causing her gums to drop and her teeth on one side to show.  Silly dog, smiling like she had just won the Super Bowl of Snake Slinging.  Only now I could tell.  She wasn’t smiling,…… she had been bitten!

Off we go to the vet’s.  When I bust in with my companion in my arms, I holler “snakebite”!  The vet’s busy with his daily routine of wormin’cats, and or giving the latest round of shots to Trixie, Poofie, Scruffy, or whoever the dog is.  Nope, that can wait.  We’ve got an emergency here.

The vet tells me to relax.  Take it easy.  It’s gonna be OK.  He’ll give me a call later this afternoon.  I leave, but I can’t relax.  My buddy, my best friend is in there………and I have to leave and wait at home.

Phone call finally arrives later that afternoon.  “Well, good thing you brought your dog in.  I think I saved her life.”  Those words are still etched in my brain to this day.  I told the vet thanks for what he did.  But he had some news for me.

He said the snakebite wasn’t that bad.  Must have just been a glancing blow, or the snake didn’t really give a good dose of venom.  There was a swelling on Casey’s jaw the size of a walnut and that was about it.  Not going to be a problem according to the vet.  But there was a problem.  A BIG PROBLEM!!!

When the vet took some blood with a needle from Casey, she wouldn’t stop bleeding.  The vet had enough experience with farm dogs to know what this meant.  Somewhere, somehow this dog had been eating RAT BAIT!!!!!  POISON!!

That’s how rat bait works.  The chemical in the bait causes the rat’s blood to not coagulate, therefore the rat dies.  The same thing was happening to my dog.  Another seven days said the vet, and she would have been a goner.

How ’bout that.  I take my dog in for a snakebite, and what’s really killing her is discovered in the process.  Never thought I’d say that a snakebite would actually save a life.

What about you?  What snake has bitten you lately?  Have you had an event happen in your life that’s causing you to do the awkward dance while squealin’ like a little girl.  You break in line and rush to get it fixed, only to realize…… that’s not the really Big Problem.

A snake bite of any kind is a problem for sure.  But if you have been poisoned by accident or on purpose, well, that needs top priority and major attention.

By the way, I’m not sure who your “vet” is.  But somebody (with experience) is telling you to calm down, it’s gonna be OK.  Your “vet” also tells you your little episode is not the problem.  The poison in your life is.  Maybe your “vet” is a close friend, a parent, or even the Holy Spirit heard by you in a still small way.  You better listen.

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. –psalm 103:2,3

I hope and pray that you never have a “snakebite”.  But if it causes you to realize the “bigger picture” in your life is actually the problem, then maybe just like what happened to me and Casey, it will truly be a Blessing in disguise.

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher still dancin’ and squealin’ like a girl

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We’ve Named The Place “Higher Ground”!

The Log Home Dream is Almost Finished!

We’ve named the place “Higher Ground”!

The old hymn goes like this……..”I’m pressing on, the upward way.  New heights I’m gaining everyday.  Still praying as I onward bound, Lord plant my feet on higher ground.”

What was once just an ambituous dream is now almost completed.  There are already friends and family staying with us.  Already been some worship services on the deck with that view.  Been prayer times, crying times, praising with the Native American Flute times.  Mostly, just been times with God.  Times to talk with Him about my doubts and fears.  Ya thought I didn’t and don’t have to deal with doubts, fears, and troubles?  Think again.

Remember this picture from December 2015?

That’s the picture from my blog three years ago when this dream of mine started.  Just a toy model and a chainsaw!!  A lot of water under the bridge since then.  A lot of sawdust carved from 40 home grown trees in Mississippi that I planted 35 years ago.

Has it been worth it?  Well,……… it cost a whole lot more in money and time than originally planned.  I lost my patience many a time waiting on the construction guy.  He was and is a great builder.  He is very precise and a perfectionist with his workmanship.  But he never got a hold of his time management.  What he said would take three days took seventeen!  When he said they would be there on Monday, we wondered which Monday he was talking about.  It was enough to make a preacher cuss……… and this wilderness preacher did!!

Higher Ground hymn 2nd verse….. ” My heart has no desire to stay, where doubts arise and fears dismay.  Tho some may dwell where these abound, my prayer my aim is Higher Ground!”

As all of us travel our spiritual journey, the doubts and fears can make us stop short.  Shucks, sometimes they stop us dead in our tracks.  There were many days I’d catch myself WASTING my thinking times worrying about the what ifs,……. the yea buts,…….. the I don’t knows,……. the are you sures.  So many people get caught in these “mud pits” and this is where they get stuck.  I didn’t want to stay there.  With God’s help, I pressed on.  Day by day.  One construction phase at a time.  Staci and I continued…….

“Higher Ground” 3rd verse       I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

My Faith has grown during this project.  Things that were important to me, now,…….well not that it’s not important, but “living above the world” gives you a different perspective.  I don’t feel it’s necessary to count anymore.  Not needed anymore to keep up with numbers.  You know, how many people come, how many spiritual decisions made, how many guys showing up for the bible study, how many this and how many that. Ain’t got time for that!

When I go fishing I never keep up with how many casts, what baits were used, who caught what.  My 80 year old fishing buddy and I went the other day.  The fish weren’t biting well that particular day, but you couldn’t tell it by our having fun just being out there and with each other.  Just BEING!  We fish just to BE fishing!!  Same way with “living above the world”…….just BEING with God and sharing His love.  In His time, following His direction.

One important way I get to “live above the world” is by having some great people handle my everyday businesses.  People that I trust and respect.  I live like I’m retired, when actually behind the scenes these people are running the show.  I am truly blessed by these coworkers and friends!

Satan throws darts?   More like ballistic missiles, and hand grenades.  He throws a lot of CRAP as well.  Tries to stir things up between me and Staci, between me and contractor guy, between me and myself,…….. between me and my Saviour.  Ole devil is pretty good at it, I’ll have to admit it.  He can throw with the best of ’em.  He has a major league arm to throw all kinds of conflict and disruptions.  Still waitin’ on electrical guy!! (That’s been a major curve ball that the Devil appears to have thrown.)

Verse 4  I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

I’ve grown closer to God through the trials and tribulations of completing this dream.  I’ve grown closer with all the small victories along the way.  I might add I’ve grown closer to my God by reading other peoples books. ( shout out to June and Barry!)  I’ve seen and caught just enough of “God’s Glory” that I no longer plan for retreat times, prayer times, time alone with God times.  It’s changed into this.  I wake up and say “Lord, whatcha got in store for today!  I look forward to what’s in my journey”.  It’s all God’s time!  He is not interested in my helping Him,  He’s interested in my heart and with Being with Him.  All the things that I want and need to do for Him, then just fall in place.

So,…….. was it worth it?  This building of Staci’s and my log home?  Well, remember that the building of this log house is a physical way of showing how God has been “constructing” on me in my spiritual journey.  Taking crooked bent logs and turning them into something special.  I said “Lord, help me” and He’s taken me on one magnificent ride.  This spiritual journey has definitely been worth it.  (Even with all the CRAP the devil threw.)

OK, was it worth it?   For you?   If your reading this blog, then you know now that YOU have the opportunity to come out and visit with us.  STAY a day or two and see for yourself.  I can hear it now.  You telling your friends……. “Hey, next week I’m going to “Higher Ground”!!

But on a most personal and honest level, was this dream of building a log home in Colorado from trees that I planted in Mississippi worth it?  ………..stay tuned.!!!!…….(while my heart and soul are smiling and laughing)!!

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher  (singing “Higher Ground” in my head)